Video: 2019 Infiniti QX50: First Drive

Styling is pretty much a stone's throw from two Infiniti concepts that preceded this. I don't know that it really moves the bar for Infiniti, but it's attractive enough overall, with a lot of kind of contours that blend together to really make these openings, whether they're these vents here below the headlights or reflectors below the taillights, not to seem too busy. Another plus, the profile preserves 8.6 inches of ground clearance, that's up about two inches versus the prior generation QX50, and pretty good for this class. Really lush cabin materials here in our QX50 essential test car, that's the top trim level of the SUV. You've got three-dimensional stitching in a lot of areas where your arms and your elbows land. Real leather or vinyl wrappings around the dashboard and the upper doors, according to Infiniti, and it looks very convincing too. Does a nice job of hiding some of the cheaper stuff, down below where you really don't care because it's kind of out of sight. Storage areas here, we wish there was a little bit more open storage, there's only a small cubby here ahead of the cup holders, and that fills up pretty quickly. But nice, big bin here underneath the center armrest, you see there's two water bottles and even an iPad in there. Now, the dashboard has two screens here, an eight-inch upper screen and a seven-inch lower screen. Should be pretty familiar if you've been in the Q50 or the Q60 before, they're both touchscreens. You can also operate the top one with this control knob down here near the armrest. It kind of only makes sense if you've got navigation, so, the top screen can always show the map. Unfortunately, only the top trim level of three trim levels on the QX50 has navigation. It might work a little better if that was the map area for, say Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but the QX50 offers neither system, nor does it offer wireless phone charging or even a tuning app. So, clearly overall kind of a low point for this interior. At least there's lots of USB ports, four total in our test car, including one back here for rear passengers. Speaking of the back seat, pretty good room overall, I'm six-feet tall, that's where I would sit to drive, and as you can see, lots of knee room remaining, nice high seating position, and good headroom left over as well. One other nice thing, the backseat, it doesn't just recline, it actually slides forward and backwards as well, that's a fairly rare feature amongst smallish luxury SUVs. Lets you maximize space between passengers or cargo. (car engine revs) So, under the hood is a two-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder with a variable piston stroke that actually changes compression ratios between power and efficiency. What does that all mean? Well, it means decent power, 268 horsepower, 280 pounds-feet of torque with impressive fuel efficiency, an EPA 26 miles per gallon combined with all-wheel drive, pretty good for this segment. Unfortunately, the drive train employs a continuously variable automatic transmission to help get there. Now, the CVT does simulate upshifts and downshifts, like a conventional stepped automatic transmission might do. Once you get going, and there's a sport mode that helps with that. But especially starting out, you always get that kind of telltale, non-linear, kinda rubber band sensation that even in sport mode, where you don't feel like your right foot is really in step with engine revs, just really not a very natural feeling there. Overall power just kind of comes in fits and starts too, whether it's accelerator tuning or the transmission, or just some old school turbo lag, the QX50 starts out sleepy and then suddenly wallops you with power. Again, just really not the most natural experience. Our test car has Infiniti's Direct Adaptive Steering system, essentially a steer-by-wire system. It makes for very, very easy driving at low speeds and parking maneuvers where there's just tons and tons of power assist, but it does feel kind of numb on twisting mountain roads. Now, chances are you're going to spend a lot more time not on those mountain roads, but sitting in traffic on the highway where a Direct Adaptive Steering is a prerequisite for the QX50, is also optional ProPILOT Assist system. Now, ProPILOT Assist essentially mixes Adaptive cruise control with a lane centering steering system, not a hands-free steering system, but lane centering, where you just have to keep a few fingers on the wheel, and it really centers you in your lane all the way down to a stop by reading lane markings. Same thing with Adaptive cruise control that works down to a stop too. We've tested it, it's one of the more natural systems out there, as these sort of semi-autonomous systems go. It can negotiate mild curves, it responds pretty well when a car kind of merges ahead of you, pretty natural overall, definitely worth getting. Though, it is only an option when you get to the highest trim level on the QX50. (car engine revs) So, a mix of interesting technology and functionality in the QX50, but with a crowded class of rivals, some of them really good, it's hard to get too excited about Infiniti's latest SUV. It cleans up nice and it's top trim levels, but there's a lot that holds it back, especially if your budget doesn't accommodate one with all these bells and whistles. You can find out in person when it goes on sale in a few weeks, but make sure you drive the competition too.